Autistic boy in care threat ordeal

Social workers threatened to take an autistic boy into care after accusing his parents of causing his behavioural issues

Lisa was accused of causing her son Elliot's behavioural issues (Sean Spencer)
The parents of a five-year-old autistic boy were threatened with having him
taken into care after social workers wrongly accused them of causing his
behavioural issues.

The child, Elliott, was placed on a child protection plan with his
two-year-old brother, Mason, after social workers at Hull city council said
their parents, Lisa and Michael, were subjecting the older boy to “emotional
abuse”.

However, a second inquiry by a different local authority reported no such
concerns.

The parents’ ordeal began when Hull social workers made numerous claims,
including that the family home was filthy and full of vermin, that their
treatment of Elliott was causing him developmental delay and that his mother
was “self-diagnosing” him. They also suggested the family was debt-ridden,
said the children were “over chastised” and accused Lisa of benefits fraud.

They alleged that Michael, a prison custody officer, was of dubious character
because he had performed star